Archives for March 2019

Witnesses say they saw someone throw a brick threw the window of the Humboldt County Republican headquarters in Eureka. It happened Wednesday night at the site on Fifth Street. A Facebook post from local party officials reports this is the fifth time something like this has happened in the last two years. The post reads:
Our office was hit again last night. This is the 5th time in two years and on prior occasions I have been told these are random acts of vandalism. Interesting the Democrat Office has not had any “random acts of vandalism”.
Police haven’t released any information about a suspect.

Rex Bohn, 1st District incumbent supervisor and well-known charity auctioneer has announced his intention to campaign for re-election to the First District Supervisorial seat, The election is March 3, next year. The formal campaign Kickoff Rally will take place this Friday, March 29th at Redwood Fields in Cutten beginning at 12:15 p.m., rain or shine, The public is invited to attend. A barbeque lunch of hot dogs, drinks and peanuts will be served.

Two men under arrest after they were caught asleep at the wheel in Fortuna. A citizen called police to report a driver asleep at the wheel on the 2300 Block of Hillside Drive. Upon arrival Officers found 37 year old Jeremiah Fletcher of Eureka in the drivers seat. Fletcher was subsequently arrested for four outstanding felony warrants for his arrest, related to the sales of methamphetamine. Fletcher also had about 6 grams of methamphetamine in his pocket. A search of the vehicle turned up an additional 53.4 grams of methamphetamine as well as a digital scale, a pipe, $640 and packaging material were also located. An additional passenger of the vehicle, Kyrie Slade, 28 years old of Fortuna, was cited and released at scene for possession of drug paraphernalia.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and Eureka Police Department
will be joining law enforcement agencies statewide stopping drivers who violate California’s hands-free
cell phone law.
During the month of April, Eureka Police Department will have additional officers on patrol looking
specifically for drivers on their phones.
In 2017, Eureka Department issued 205 citations to drivers texting, calling or performing another
function on their phone. Distracted driving is dangerous, especially when it involves a cell phone.
According to preliminary data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), 66 people were killed and
more than 6,500 injured in 2017 from distracted driving-related crashes.

Congressman Jared Huffman is one of two lawmakers introducing the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act to permanently ban oil and gas leasing off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. It’s an expansion of his earlier West Coast Ocean Protection Act. Said Huffman of the measure, “The Trump administration’s drill-everywhere plan has run into a wave of public opposition. Americans from coast to coast have made it very clear that they do not want to see more oil rigs in their oceans. The Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act will halt Trump’s oil and gas drilling spree in its tracks, protecting coastal communities and fragile ecosystems from environmental catastrophe.

The Arcata Police Department has established a 24-hour tip line for any member of the public to call and provide information on the murder of David Josiah Lawson. Josiah Lawson, a Humboldt State University student, was killed at a house party in the 1100 block of Spear Avenue on April 15, 2017. Anyone with information is asked to call the tip line at (707)825-2590. Callers may remain anonymous if they choose. Additionally, the Arcata Police Department is releasing still images from video obtained near the crime scene in order to identify anyone in these images as potential witnesses. The photos are available on the Arcata Police Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/arcatapd/). If you have any information on the identity and/or whereabouts of anyone depicted in these photographs, please call the Arcata Police Department’s Lawson Tip Line (707)825-2590

A jury has found 42-year-old Jeremy Notman guilty of arson of an inhabited structure and
possession of methamphetamine paraphernalia.
The case arose from an incident in the early morning hours of December 18th, 2018. The
defendant used a propane-powered flame throwing device to set fire to an apartment complex
on 6th Street in Eureka, then fled the scene. Eureka Police Department (EPD) subsequently
identified him after additional investigation connected him to the arson. Judge Neel presided over the 2-week trial and will sentence the defendant on May 16, 2019. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 8 years in state prison.

This week, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served one search warrant to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Eureka area. Two parcels were investigated during the service of the warrant, one of which was located on the 5000 block of Mitchell Road and the other, located on the 7000 block of London Drive. The parcels did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially. During the service of the warrant, deputies located three indoor cannabis cultivation operations and eradicated approximately 1,774 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed over 337 pounds of cannabis shake. Assisting agencies found two building code violations. No arrests were made.

Those in the know say the median home sale price in Humboldt County fell by more than 7 percent during the month of February. The Redwood Times reports the median home price in January was $325,000, but that figure dropped to $296,450 last month. Both numbers, say the experts, are higher than the median home price a year ago of $275,000.

Lorna Jean Leen, whose son is charged with murder, has had the same charge, in the same case, dropped against her. In addition a judge ordered that Lean be released from jail, where she’s spent the last six months. The judge in the case says he could find no case law to justify holding her any longer in connection with the August 9th, 2018 stabbing death of 16 year old Brandon Brocious. A witness to the incident had testified that Leen held her back as her son, 15 year old Christopher Sterling, stabbed Brocious during an argment over some stolen items at Ocean View Cemetary.